With more than seven categories, covering everything from bakery to cocktails to the third wave of coffee and charcuterie, the awards will embrace the avant-garde side of the culinary and drinks world, as well as recognising age-old traditional skills as an art form. It will be a first to do a nationwide search for new talented personalities across Britain, whether they're bedroom-bakers or characters making Gloucester old spot hams in their kitchen.
You don't need to be professional to apply - we want to see obsessed foodies and home-grown talents apply, as well as those who're just starting out.
We have a host of legendary figures judging these young people and their work.

The rising star of mixology

The leading authority on all things bibulous, Tony C of 69 Colebrooke Row – there’s no one better – will be judging the rising stars of mixology.

Charcuterie personality

We are to ask the acclaimed Jack O’Shea from Ireland who’s cuts are above the rest. Two more judges to call in. Yianni Papoutsis of the ‘au courant’ #meateasy

Artistic Expression with food

We have the scenesters’ top food
experimentalists, Sam Bompas and Harry Parr on board.

New best alchemist of the oven

Judges dough-doyen Daniel Stevens of River Cottage and baker to the celebs, Lily Vanilli.

Coffee king/queen

Coffee king, rule breaker and barista of Britain, Gwilym Davies to judge, ‘Cafe culture/coffee’s flavour of the moment’ – the new cutting edge stars of the coffee world.

Mobile mover and shaker

Chocolatier and queen of the road Petra Barran confirmed to judge the mobile food movement.

Most irreverent young chef

The brilliant Nuno Mendes to judge, ‘most irreverent young chef’ category. Mendes is of course from El Bulli, Bacchus, now Viajante, the restaurant du jour in Bethnal Green.

Innovative farmer of the year

Judges to ask will include William Kendell of the delightful Maple Farm, Jimmy Doherty and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Could you be one of the YBFs of 2011-12? Or do you know someone who you feel should be nominated?
We want to cast the net open and seek out young food and drink talent from across the nation. From the home baker to the DIY piggie-butcher, we are not just looking for eccentric experimentalists, but those who are embracing our historic culinary traditions but with a new twist. Do you find yourself hanging your home-grown salamis in your sitting room window? Or you're a barman but your job limits you and behind closed doors you rustle up mixologist wizardry? If so, get applying.

There are no boundaries for entering. All that's required is a passion for food, evidence that you have talent and work on it whether it is in your own time or you’re starting out in a cafe , bar or restauarant, and have an aspiration to develop and share your skills.

To enter

Click here for the eight categories. If you fall into one of these sections, here is what you need to do next:

Send 500 words on why you believe your skills and talent make you a YBF, your situation and your young history in the gastronomic world so far. Please show off your knowledge of the category you’re applying to so we can see that you’re discerning. Additionally, please mention any food or drink creation or project you are working on now.

It is vital you include your full name, age, email and mobile number so we can contact you at the top of your application.

Images and videos of you cooking, making cocktails or coffee, showing your art, are welcome and could help. For technophiles, send images, video and links to...

We at the YBFs believe that attitudes in Britain have changed. There is a new generation, a movement, making food and drink the new art, the new passion. People across the country are re-learning age-old traditions and modernising them. From the revolutionaries to the urban farmer, the new wave of bakers to the coffee-obsessives, the YBFs wants to recognise the talent and celebrate the individuals who are involved.

Chloe Scott-Moncrieff is the food and drink editor at Metro newspaper, although the YBFs is extra curricular. Metro is the third biggest national newspaper in Britain and her GoodTaste pages on Tuesdays are read by 3.5million people across cities from Edinburgh to Glasgow to Bristol to London. She’s worked for many years as a journalist, freelancing across all the nationals and glossies. She’s best known for covering all things edible and bibulous, in an informative, fresh fashion.

Lily Jones is the founder of Lily Vanilli and creative baker to the stars, she was the curator of 2010’s much-feted event, Cake Britain.

Amy Thorne is MD of Taste, the communications company. An accomplished business woman, her focus is on marketing and communications.